The Piedmont Health Survey of the Elderly is a multiyear
study sponsored by the National Institute on Aging as one of the
components of the Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of
the Elderly (EPESE). The goals of the EPESE project were to describe
and identify predictors of mortality, hospitalization, and placement
in long-term care facilities and to investigate risk factors for
chronic diseases and loss of functioning. The original survey,
ESTABLISHED POPULATIONS FOR EPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDIES OF THE ELDERLY,
1981-1993: [EAST ... (more info)

The Piedmont Health Survey of the Elderly is a multiyear
study sponsored by the National Institute on Aging as one of the
components of the Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of
the Elderly (EPESE). The goals of the EPESE project were to describe
and identify predictors of mortality, hospitalization, and placement
in long-term care facilities and to investigate risk factors for
chronic diseases and loss of functioning. The original survey,
ESTABLISHED POPULATIONS FOR EPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDIES OF THE ELDERLY,
1981-1993: [EAST BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, IOWA AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES,
IOWA, NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, AND NORTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA] (ICPSR
9915), elicited information from persons 65 years of age and
older. Six follow-ups were conducted, and information from death
certificates for deaths occurring in the first six years of follow-up
for all four sites was also collected. The data included in this
release of the EPESE make up the seventh follow-up and the fourth
in-person interview for the North Carolina site. This North Carolina
cohort, established in a 1986-1987 baseline survey, was a sample of
persons 65 or older residing in households in Durham, Warren,
Franklin, Granville, and Vance counties in the Central Piedmont area
of North Carolina. The North Carolina site was the only EPESE site in
the southeastern United States. This site was unique in that the
baseline cohort was over 50-percent Black, and the geographic area
selected was diverse, allowing both racial and urban/rural comparisons
to be made regarding the distribution of certain risk factors and
disease. The data cover demographic characteristics (age, sex, race,
income, education, marital status, number of children, employment, and
religion), height, weight, social and physical functioning, chronic
conditions, related health problems, health habits, self-reported use
of dental, hospital, and nursing home services, and depression.

Access Notes

One or more files in this data collection have special restrictions
; consult the
restrictions note to learn more.
Additional information can also be found in the
Use Agreement.

The arrangements governing the release of data
assembled as part of this project stipulate that they should be used
solely for epidemiological, social, and behavioral science research.
The data and other materials are to be used only for statistical
analysis and reporting of aggregated information, and not for the
investigation of specific individuals or organizations. Therefore, the
user promises that he/she will not use these data for purposes other
than epidemiological, social, and behavioral science research. The user
understands that attempts to disseminate copies of the data, in whole
or in part, or to identify individual respondents may be subject to
prosecution under applicable laws. Before obtaining these data, a
signed "Pledge of Confidentiality" is required of users. The Pledge of
Confidentiality form can be obtained from ICPSR User Support
(734-647-2200) or through the Web site of the National Archive of
Computerized Data on Aging (NACDA)
<a href="http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/NACDA/Pledge/piedm.html">
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/NACDA/Pledge/piedm.html</a>. In addition,
users of these data agree to send a copy of any publications based on
the data to: Paulette Campbell, Program Analyst, Epidemiology,
Demography, and Biometry Program, National Institute on Aging,
National Institutes of Health, 7201 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 3C309,
Bethesda, MD 20892-9205.

Any public-use data files in this collection are available for access by the general public.
Access does not require affiliation with an ICPSR member institution.